Halo : The Infinite
by Samuel-034
Summary: 2543; after 18 years of bitter war with the alien confederation known as the Covenant humanity is starting to realise that this war could be the end. But when a UNSC ship fleeing the burning universe stumbles upon a long forgotten war could they have found the answer to humanities prayers, or the arbiter of its demise. Please take the time to review, a few words will do.


_2046 hours, November 27, 2525 (military calendar) / aboard covenant frigate Unwavering Faith, above Chi Ceti 4._

The two halves of the purple door slide apart with a soft hiss. The three members of Blue Team moved into the room guns raised. One of the bird-like creatures they had encountered earlier stood in the centre of a circular room dominated by crystalline controls and a large window.

This creature, unlike the others, who had been surprised by the three giants in armour, just looked angry, really angry.

Sam held his fire, while John and Kelly peppered the shield the alien had activated, in order to apprise the situation; was there another threat? could he somehow out-flank it? But as he watched, the thing drew out a weapon of some kind and, quick as a flash, jerked its arm to the side of the shield and fired a blast of blue plasma at John.

Sam made a dive towards his friend tackling him out of the harm's way but, at the same time, placing himself in the path of danger. A millisecond later the bolt hit home.

The plasma burned straight through the coating of his MJOLNIR armour, through the titanium that made up the bulk of the suit, and into the side of his abdomen. Sam fell to one knee, one hand clutching at his wound, the other gripped tightly around his weapon, his trigger finger pushed down hard. But the bullets simply pinged harmlessly off the creatures shield.

And all the while the alien returned fire, focusing the plasma on Sam, who, under the constant barrage, had fallen to the deck, his weapon empty. Sam heard John's voice, "Keep firing!"

And while Kelly covered him, he sprinted up to the alien, bashed it's shield to one side, rammed his gun into the thing's mouth and let rip.

Brains, blood and bits of bone splattered onto the consoles. John spun round to help Sam up.

"I'm okay," said Sam predicting John's question "Just a little singed." He looked down to see much of his previously green armour turned black.

"You sure?" John asked, but Sam simply waved him away. While he was propped up by Kelly, Sam saw John walk over the alien, pause above it for a second and then bend down to pick up what looked like an arm guard of some sort. This, Sam reasoned, is what must have been producing the shield. John prodded a few of the buttons but nothing worked, he strapped it to his forearm regardless. Alien technology, working or not, was still valuable.

They pushed further into the room until they looked out of the large window. Through it they saw a large chamber descending at least three decks below them. Occupying it was a long cylinder with red pulses shooting along it about every five seconds or so.

"That's got to be the source of the radiation," said Kelly referring to the spikes they had been picking up their entire time aboard the alien ship.

She continued "Their reactor... or maybe a weapon system."

As the three Spartans watched, another alien marched into view, this one was larger looking, though at the distance it was hard to tell. A second later it spotted them ,warbled a cry and dived for cover while a silver shimmer appeared around it; a full body shield perhaps, Sam mused.

"Trouble," John said.

"I've got an idea," said Sam removing Kelly's arm and supporting himself, though it was clear he was badly hurt.

"Hand me those warheads," John and Kelly both did as he asked. He outlined his plan, "We shoot out that window, set the timers on the warheads, and toss them down there. That should start the party."

"Let's do it before they call reinforcements," John said, nodding his assent to the plan.

In response each of them turned to the window and opened fire, it quickly exploded into thousands of crystalline pieces. "Toss those warheads, and let's get out of here," Sam said.

He watched John set the timers, "Three minutes," Sam said. "That'll give us enough time to get topside and get away."

John turned to him, who had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, "You'll have to stay and hold them off. That's an order."

"What are you talking about?" said Kelly, still not understanding the situation.

"Sam knows," John said quietly, not quite having the courage to say the words out-loud.

And clearly neither did Sam, "I think I can hold them off." And still he couldn't say it, because that would mean it was true and nothing could change that. Instead, in way of an explanation he turned to show Kelly the hole in his suit. Through it she could see his skin, it was cracked and black. He smiled grimly inside his helmet but his teeth were gritted in pain.

"That's nothing," Kelly said nonchalantly. "We'll get you patched up in no time. Once we get back-" and that's when the fact hit her. She couldn't even speak.

"Exactly," Sam whispered, filling her silence. "Getting back is going to be the problem for me."

"The hole," John confirmed. "We don't have any way to seal it."

Kelly shook her head.

"If I step off this boat, I'm dead from the decompression," Sam said in a expressionless voice, and shrugged.

"No," growled Kelly slamming her gauntleted fist into one of the control panels, smashing straight through it. "No - everyone gets out alive. We don't leave teammates behind."

"He has his orders," John said to Kelly trying to make her see reason.

Sam sighed softly, when Kelly decided to be stubborn she really stuck with it, but Sam just needed them to leave, to know they were safe.

"You've got to leave me," he spoke in a subdued tone. "And don't tell me you'll give me your suit. It took those techs on (UNSC) Damascus fifteen minutes to fit us. I wouldn't even know where to start to unzip this thing."

Sam saw John look to the floor and could guess what he was feeling; that it would be better to die with a friend than leave him. Sam felt exactly the same way, to die like this was... pointless. He had survived where others had fallen, he was one in a billion, but luck just wasn't on his side today. He was leaving John and Kelly and the others to fight these aliens alone.

He didn't care about dying, just about failing.

"Don't waste time talking," Sam said. "Our new friends aren't going to wait for us while we figure this out."

He saw John anxiously shifting his weight from one foot to another and Kelly standing stock still, flipping the safety of her gun on and off, as she did when posed with a difficult situation.

He had to make a move, "There it's decided." He had started the detonation timers. A three minute countdown appeared in the corner of their HUD's.

"Now-get going you two."

Sam took John's gauntlet in a firm hand-shake. He turned to Kelly and after a second of hesitation she saluted.

Sam stepped back and gestured to the door. Kelly didn't move, but John grabbed her arm, "Come on, Spartan," he said softly "Don't look back." Though whether he was saying this to himself or Kelly was indiscernible.

And with that they left. The purple doors sliding silently back together. Cutting Sam off from the last friendly faces he would ever see.

_2:35... _

Sam turned to face the window overlooking the cylindrical tube, where there was increasing activity; he could see various aliens running toward a set of doors on the left side of the room. Clearly they had not even noticed the small but very deadly explosives.

He turned to his left seeing the door he, John and Kelly had come through, to his right the door John and Kelly had left through and behind him, another door.

_2:18..._

The door to the left was no good because, in all likelihood, that was where the aliens would be appearing. He couldn't lead them to John and Kelly so the right door was out of the question. That left only the door behind him.

_2:00... _

He quickly bounded over to the door John had gone through and blasted the control panel to hinder any of the smarter aliens who attempted to follow them. He then turned as he heard a screech. Spinning round and going to one knee he sprayed the left doorway in which one of the creatures was standing.

_1:42... _

Cleary they had expected all the Spartans to be gone, as the alien hadn't even activated its shield. As a result every bullet Sam had fired hit the creature, toppling it backwards into its companions who cried out in surprise.

_1:29... _

Knowing the creatures would follow him, Sam combat rolled over to the last unopened door. He reached his left hand over to the control panel, his right still clutching his gun.

_1:12..._

He heard a beep and the door slid open, but as he began to step backwards through it he saw a shield protrude round the corner of the door to his left. He fired off a quick burst to discourage that particular creature's bravery then turned to run down the long corridor.

_1:00..._

But as he turned his back he heard a loud humming, then a flash of green filled his vision. He stumbled forwards a searing pain in his upper right back. His right arm hung loosely and his gun had dropped to the floor.

_0:47... _

Without his right arm function properly Sam now had no chance of fighting the aliens so he just sprinted straight down the corridor that the door had reviled. It was long, 213 meters long to be precise, and dimly lit by glowing purple orbs. He heard screeching behind him and more green and blue plasma bolts started exploding all around him.

_0:32... _

He kept on going until he reached the end of the corridor, he fumbled with another door control, risking a glance behind him.

It was bad.

At least 15 or 20 of the aliens were coming towards him continually firing of plasma. Luckily the weapons were inaccurate at range and he had at least 50 meters on them.

_0:18... _

Another beep and the single door slid sideways, Sam dashed in, tapped a few more symbols and the door shut again. He was in pitch blackness. But using his helmet light revealed he was in a storage room. Sam raised his left hand and smashed it down on the panel his side of the door.

At least his last moments would be spent in peace. At least John and Kelly got away.

_0:10... _

Sam slid to the floor exhausted, but at peace with his fate.

_0:09..._

But fate often has its own plans...

_0:08..._

Suddenly a brilliant flash of white light filled the room.

_0:07... _

Sam grimaced and raised himself up.

_0:06... _

The light was coming from a section of the wall opposite the door. But it wasn't just light, the outline of a slender figure was backlit against it.

_0:05... _

"Come with me. Now!" it was a women's voice he heard, but... there was something off about it. Regardless she offered a chance to escape. And Sam would take it gladly.

_0:04..._

She grabbed Sam as he stumbled forwards and collapsed, and dragged him into a small shuttle of some sort.

_0:03..._

The women closed a door and went to sit at a control panel.

_0:02..._

She turned around and said in kindly voice, "It's okay your safe now."

_0:01..._

Sam managed to sit up and murmur, "Thank you..." before passing into darkness.

_0:00... _


End file.
